Editing BBC Radio Merseyside

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = BBC Radio Merseyside
| logo = BBC Radio Merseyside 2022.svg
| city = [[Liverpool]]
| area = [[Merseyside]]
| airdate = 22 November 1967
| frequency = [[FM broadcasting|FM]]: 95.8 MHz<br>[[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]]: 10C<br>[[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]]: 714
| rds = BBC_MRSY
| format = Local news, sport, talk and music
| language = [[English language|English]]
| former_names = BBC Merseyside
| former_frequencies = 1485 [[AM broadcasting|MW]]
| network = [[BBC Local Radio]]
| owner = [[British Broadcasting Corporation|BBC]]
| operator = [[BBC North West]]
| licensing_authority = [[Ofcom]]
| website = [https://www.bbc.co.uk/radiomerseyside/ BBC Radio Merseyside]
}}

'''BBC Radio Merseyside''' is the [[Local BBC Radio|BBC's local radio station]] serving [[Merseyside]], North and West [[Cheshire]] and [[West Lancashire]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC - About Radio Merseyside |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2XQb2ncVNZ3qbKZKpXsvK08/about-radio-merseyside |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}}</ref> It broadcasts on [[frequency modulation|FM]], [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]], digital TV and via [[BBC Sounds]], from studios on Hanover Street in [[Liverpool]]. According to [[RAJAR]], the station has a weekly audience of 183,000 listeners and a 3.7% share as of May 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rajar.co.uk/listening/quarterly_listening.php|title=RAJAR|publisher=RAJAR|access-date=2015-09-27}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:BBC Radio Merseyside 2021.jpg|thumb|left|Radio Merseyside studios, 2021]]
BBC Radio Merseyside was the third BBC Local Radio station to start broadcasting, launching on 22 November 1967 and broadcasting from the sixth floor of council-owned offices in Commerce House, [[Liverpool]]. In late 1981, Radio Merseyside moved to a new purpose-built studios on [[Paradise Street, Liverpool]]. Broadcasts began from the new studios on 7 December 1981. On 15 July 2006, Radio Merseyside moved from its former home to a new purpose-built studio building on the corner of Hanover Street and College Lane in Liverpool. This building has two ground-floor studios next to a public performance space. An open learning centre was previously located on the first floor and the main office is on the second floor.

In October 2006, the studio building was nominated and made the [[Building Design]] shortlist for the inaugural [[Carbuncle Cup]], which was ultimately awarded to [[Drake Circus Shopping Centre]] in Plymouth.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bottom of the barrel - Carbuncles 2006|author=bdonline.co.uk|url=http://www.bdonline.co.uk/bottom-of-the-barrel-carbuncles-2006/3075189.article|access-date=2014-09-11}}</ref>

Until the late 1980s the station was generally on air from breakfast until teatime, with any local programming after 6 pm being specialist music and magazines aimed at specialist interests and ethnic minority programming, such as ''Orient Express'' with [[June Yee]].<ref name="BBC - June Yee">{{cite web|title=Presenter Profile: June Yee|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/liverpool/hi/tv_and_radio/newsid_8238000/8238220.stm|accessdate=2009-05-14|publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> with [[BBC Radio 2]] being carried during the evening and overnight. In early 1989, the four BBC stations in [[North West England]] launched an evening service called ''Network North West''. This replaced the Radio 2 simulcast with regional programming. The strand was broadcast each night from 7:30 pm until midnight. In May 1991, the four north-west stations joined the [[BBC Night Network]], which had previously provided evening programming for the BBC's six North East and Yorkshire stations. At this point, local broadcasts ended at 7:05 pm (7 pm at weekends) until midnight, extending to 12:30 am in the early 1990s, and to 1 am by the end of that decade.

==Technical==
{{original research|section|date=October 2024}}
BBC Radio Merseyside broadcasts on 95.8 MHz (Allerton Park) and [[Digital Audio Broadcasting|DAB]] from the Allerton Park site and DAB signals come from the [[Bauer Radio|Bauer Liverpool]] 10C Multiplex from [[Billinge Hill]] (between [[St Helens, Merseyside|St Helens]] and [[Wigan]]), Hope Mountain (between [[Buckley, Flintshire|Buckley]] and [[Wrexham]]) and [[St Johns Beacon]]. 

In 2018, BBC Radio Merseyside launched on [[BBC Sounds]]. Local sports commentaries are not broadcast on this service, due to licensing agreements.

The station also broadcasts on [[Freeview (UK)|Freeview]] TV channel 714 in the [[BBC North West]] region.

In March 2020, BBC Radio Merseyside's 1485 [[AM broadcasting|AM]] license was handed back to Ofcom.

==Programming==
Local programming is produced and broadcast from the BBC's [[Liverpool]] studios from 6 am to 6 pm on weekdays and for sports coverage. Until October 2023, the station's late show was simulcast with [[BBC Radio Lancashire]] on Friday nights and originated from [[BBC Radio Manchester]] on Saturday and Sunday nights. It was replaced by an England-wide late show which is broadcast seven days a week.<ref>{{cite web|last=Collins |first=Steve |url=https://radiotoday.co.uk/2023/07/becky-want-and-jo-good-to-host-new-local-bbc-radio-late-show/ |title=Becky Want and Jo Good to host new Local BBC Radio late show |publisher=Radio Today |date=27 July 2023 |accessdate=27 July 2023}}</ref>

During the station's overnight downtime, BBC Radio Merseyside simulcasts overnight programming from [[BBC Radio 5 Live]].

==Presenters==
===Notable past presenters===
<!--Any non-notable presenters or staff added to this article will be removed - if an editor considers someone is notable, write a Wikipedia article on them first, or provide a reputable source to show they deserve an article-->
{{Div col}}
*[[Billy Butler (DJ)|Billy Butler]] (now at Liverpool Live Radio)
*[[Wayne Clarke (broadcaster)|Wayne Clarke]]
*[[Shelagh Fogarty]] (now on [[LBC]])
*[[John Gillmore]]
*[[Gerry Harrison]]
*[[Eddie Hemmings (rugby league)|Eddie Hemmings]]
*[[Roger Hill (broadcaster)|Roger Hill]]
*[[Brian Jacques]]
*[[Debi Jones]] (now at Delux Radio)
*[[Janice Long]] (went on to [[BBC Radio Wales]] and [[Greatest Hits Radio]])
*[[Billy Maher]]
*[[Rob McCaffrey]]
*[[Linda McDermott]]
*[[Simon O'Brien (presenter)|Simon O'Brien]]
*[[Rob Palmer (commentator)|Rob Palmer]]
*[[Alan Parry]] (now on [[Sky Sports]])
*[[Steve Parry (swimmer)|Steve Parry]]
*[[Pete Price]]
*[[Paul Salt]]
*[[Ray Stubbs]] (now at [[Talksport|Talksport 2]])
*[[Norman Thomas (broadcaster)|Norman Thomas]]{{Div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.bbc.co.uk/radiomerseyside/ BBC Radio Merseyside]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20091022084311/http://geocities.com/thehotw/aircheck_UKLancs.htm  History of local radio in Merseyside]

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{{BBC Radio}}
{{BBC Local Radio}}
{{Liverpool and Merseyside radio}}

[[Category:Radio stations established in 1967]]
[[Category:1967 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Merseyside]]
[[Category:BBC Local Radio|Merseyside]]
[[Category:Mass media in Liverpool]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Liverpool]]